Golovkin-Ishida SoCal Press Conference

By Miguel Maravilla
Photos: Big Joe Miranda

WBA/IBO Middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (25-0, KOs) of Kazakhistan and Japan’s Nobuhiro Ishada (24-8-2, 9KOs) are ready for their March 30 showdown in Monte Carlo, Monaco located on the French Riviera. However, when they met Saturday afternoon they were in Manhattan Beach, California, at a press event intended to drum up interest in a U.S. pay-per-view telecast.

“I want to thank you all of for being here, we respect the champion he is one of the best,” Ishida said. “I will give you a good fight on March 30 we are not going to lose.”

Golovkin stated, “Good afternoon. I want to thank everyone for being here. I want to thank Ishida. I respect him. I think it’s a great fight for all of us.”

For the 37-year-old Japanese fighter, this could be his last chance for a world title as he looks to close his career in a blaze of glory. Ishida is a former WBA interim super welterweight champion, but his bigest claim to fame is a spectacular first round knockout of James Kirkland. “Golovkin is a hard puncher. This fight is a war for me,” Ishida told Fightnews.com.

The man they call ‘GGG’ is coming off a seventh round stoppage over Gabe Rosado back in January at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden as he looks to defend his title for the second time this year. Golovkin is trained by Abel Sanchez who trained former champions Terry Norris and Miguel Angel Gonzalez has a good game plan and chemistry going into this fight with his fighter.

“Chemistry is most important. He listens and applies the training process in the ring. We are looking for a tough battle and a difficult fight March 30,” Sanchez told us.

Golovkin added, “Ishida is a tough opponent. He has knocked out Kirkland, and fought with Williams and Pirog. Expect excitement and a good fight!”